Saint Michael Catholic Church - Wheaton

Yesterday was Presidents Day, so here's some presidential trivia! (The correct answer is 'D - It's just "S").

Happy Presidents Day, St. Michael Parish! If you are one of the lucky ones who has a day off work today, here's a friendly reminder that we have Mass at the parish as follows: Monday - Friday, 6:30am and 8:00am. Why not stop by and join us today?

If you attended Ash Wednesday Mass, it's likely that as you received the ashes on your forehead, you heard the words, "Repent, and believe in the Gospel." These are the same words we hear again in today's Gospel for the First Sunday of Lent.

We sometimes hear of the need for the Church to "read the signs of the times" - meaning, to acknowledge cultural realities going on today so we can adequately respond in a Christian way. This is very true! However, we also remember that the truest "sign of the times" is Jesus himself, who was incarnate, who suffered, and who died to invite us to repentance and a restored relationship with the Father. Do we have eyes to see that he is calling us today to repent?

Here in the United States, Catholics are permitted to receive the Eucharist in the hand or on the tongue; both are completely acceptable. However, some Catholics who desire to receive Communion on the tongue have never been taught how!

If that's you, Fr. Mark-Mary has created this very practical (and sometimes humorous!) video to help. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9ll9UGMxBg

On Fridays during Lent (our first is today!) Catholics abstain from eating meat. Here are three other ways you can set Fridays apart in this season of Lent:

1. Attend Stations of the Cross here at 7:00am & 7:00pm, or simply walk the Stations inside the parish on your own schedule.

2. Create more time for silence and prayer in your schedule and meditate on the Passion.

3. Find some way to serve people experiencing poverty in your community.

As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, it's important to listen to the stories and experiences from all corners of the Catholic Church.

Check out this excellent 2020 short film, "Black Faith Matters," from Spirit Juice, which details the life of a parish in New Orleans. https://youtu.be/XAmzyXxcKeg

It's Ash Wednesday, which means that the season of Lent has officially begun!

Ash Wednesday is not a Holy Day of Obligation, but outside of Christmas and Easter, it is the most heavily attended Mass in the liturgical calendar!

Here at St. Michael, Masses will be at 6:30am, 8:00am and 7:00pm, and Liturgy of the Word at 12:15pm and 4:30pm - you might want to come early to get a seat!

This pastry is traditionally served from Epiphany through Mardi Gras, and whoever finds the surprise has to host next year's Mardi Gras party! If you need a hint here, know that "king cake" is also related to the Epiphany... (The correct answer is 'A - a Baby Jesus figurine).

Today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday! Born in 1809 in Kentucky, he would go on to be the 16th President of the United States and most famously issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which was one of the key milestones in ending institutional slavery in our country.

As we remember this great American, we also pray that God would continue to help our country to be a just land where all human persons are welcomed in life and protected by the law.

The Church has designated February 11 as World Day of the Sick since 1993; it is a day when Catholics are invited to lift up in prayer and draw near to those suffering from illness and disease.

Pope Francis reminds us that "sick people, in fact, are at the center of God's people, and the Church advances together with them as a sign of a humanity in which everyone is precious, and no one should be discarded or left behind."

How beautiful, then, that today we read in the Gospel of the l***r approaching Jesus in faith, declaring "if you wish, you can make me clean." In this prayer, the sick man reminds us of the truth that God is a healer, that he can and does heal us of the sickness that sin brings into our lives, and that he can also heal the body if he so wills it.

Today, let's pray for those we love who are sick and present them to Jesus, the Divine Physician.

Today, the Church celebrates St. Scholastica, the twin sister of St. Benedict.

These twin saints were known for their deep friendship and affection for one another. Famously, on the night of their last meeting, before Scholastica would die, she asked her brother to stay with her through the night, but he declined, wanting instead to spend the night at the monastery. Scholastica prayed for God to make it possible for her brother to remain with her, and shortly after that, an intense thunderstorm began and prevented Benedict from leaving!

St. Scholastica wasn't afraid to ask God for small favors like this, and we shouldn't be either! St. Scholastica, pray for us!

February 8 has been designated by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace as the International Day of Awareness Against Human Trafficking. This coincides with today's saint, Josephine Bakhita, who was sold into slavery early on in her life.

The U.S. Department of State estimates that in 2021, around 27.6 million people were in forced labor, including 6.3 million in some kind of forced commercial sexual exploitation. 7 in 10 human trafficking victims are women and girls.

To learn more about how to raise awareness of human trafficking, check out this article from the U.S. bishops: https://www.usccb.org/committees/administrative/february-8th-international-day-prayer-and-awareness-against-human

Where did these courageous saints lose their lives for the sake of the Gospel? (The correct answer is 'D - Japan').

Happy Monday St. Michael Parish! Have you ever thought about coming to daily Mass here at the parish? This is a great way to grow closer to Jesus in the Eucharist in the normal course of your weekly routine. Mass is celebrated Monday - Friday at 6:30am and 8:00am. We'd love to see you there this week!

The author of the Gospel of Mark wastes no time cutting to the chase about who Jesus is: in the very first chapter, we see Jesus contending head-on with the powers of Hell, showing his absolute authority over the evil spirits. His mighty deeds provoke people to want to know more about this Jesus; in today's Gospel, we read the prophetic words of Simon Peter, "Everyone is looking for You." But far more than seeking Jesus out of curiosity, there is a deep longing in the heart of every human person to know and be in a relationship with him.

No matter how long we have followed the Lord, there is always more for us; we can always keep looking for him.

Oh glorious St. Blaise, protect us from every disease of the throat!

Today is the World Day for Consecrated Life, which Pope St. John Paul II instituted in the 1990s to be celebrated every year on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. JPII called the Church to recognize that consecrated life "before being a commitment of men and women, is a gift which comes from on high, an initiative of the Father."

On the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas), we celebrate how Mary and Joseph brought the newborn Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem and are approached by the prophet Simeon, who recognizes in him the long-awaited Messiah.

The Presentation was a particular focus of Rembrandt's artwork; he depicted this scene more than any other biblical story! Learn about one of his paintings here: https://www.rembrandtpaintings.com/presentation-of-jesus-in-the-temple.jsp

The patron of Catholic schools, St. Thomas Aquinas, understood that we are born into a double darkness. Catholic schools dispel both – by helping a child to grow intellectually and spiritually. Thanks be to God for our Catholic schools!

Pope Francis' intention for the month of February is for the sick. Let us pray with the Holy Father, "that the sick who are in the final stages of life, and their families, receive the necessary medical and human care and accompaniment."

Today we celebrate the feast day of St. John Bosco, who was known for his devotion to the Eucharist, especially to Eucharistic adoration. He recommended that Catholics visit the Blessed Sacrament as often as possible, even if for only a few minutes.

During this Catholic Schools Week, we remember that education is for the whole person – mind, body, and spirit. And Catholic schools speak to the whole person!

It's Trivia Tuesday! Alright, history buffs, this one's for you! (The correct answer is 'D - Mahatma Gandhi').

That’s right, with a 98.9% graduation rate, Catholic high schools are out of this world! Happy Catholic Schools Week!

Last week, we celebrated the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. Today, let's take a close-up look at perhaps the most well-known artistic depiction of this scene from Scripture by Caravaggio. Drs. Beth Harris and Steven Zucker describe how Caravaggio uses light and darkness to depict the breaking-in of Jesus Christ into Paul's life. Watch the full analysis here:

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/baroque-art1/baroque-italy/v/caravaggio-saul #:~:text=0%20energy%20points-,Caravaggio%2C%20The%20Conversion%20of%20St.,Maria%20del%20Popolo%2C%20Rome

Jesus' public ministry in the Gospel of Mark begins with the scene in today's Gospel, the cure of a man possessed by a demon. The message is clear: Jesus has come to confront the forces of Hell.

But as we read, this is far from a fair fight. Jesus has only to speak the words, "Quiet! Come out of him!" and the demon is put to flight. Hence, the crowds are amazed that "even the unclean spirits obey him."

Jesus is sovereign. He has no rival. Satan and his fellow demons may be stronger than us (and they are), but they are still only creatures and ultimately answer to their creator. So today, we recall that we do not need to fear the forces of evil. "If God is for us," St. Paul writes, "who can be against us?"

Happy Memorial of Sts. Timothy and Titus, who are two of the Church's first bishops - Timothy leading the church in Ephesus and Titus in Crete.

Both men received letters from St. Paul that have been included in the canon of Scripture, testifying to their leadership's historical and theological importance for the early Church.

(P.S. These two are also the patron saints of relief from stomach disorders, so it's a great day to pray for anyone you know who is suffering from GI or digestive issues.)